Someone Like You
by roboticAppendages
Summary: After SBURB the world is reset. John, Dave, Jade, and Rose go back to their lives as if the game had never happened. With the exception that now, the Alternians share Earth with them, as humans. The only ones with any recollection of the game is the sixteen of them. Full Summary inside. DaveJohn, DaveRose, JohnKat.
1. John: Confess to Dave

**After SBURB the world is reset. John, Dave, Jade, and Rose go back to their lives as if the game had never happened. With the exception that now, the Alternians share Earth with them. The only ones with any recollection of the game is the sixteen of them.**

**John finally tells Dave how he feels, but when Dave rejects him and they cease speaking does that change their relationship forever? Five years pass, and they say not a word to each other. Now living with Karkat, and Dave with Rose will they pick up their friendship as if nothing had happened, or have things changed too much? Will feelings spark, and emotions fly? Or will John and Dave cease their friendship...forever?**

* * *

– ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] –

EB: hey dave!  
TG: yo john  
TG: whats up  
EB: dave, there's something that i've been meaning to tell you.  
EB: for awhile now.  
TG: if youre about to tell me you tug the yogurt flinger to the con air soundtrack i dont want to hear it  
EB: tug the yogurt flinger...?  
EB: oh man, haha, dave, so funny.  
EB: not!  
EB: i'm being serious here, dave.  
TG: alright alright  
TG: what is it egbert  
EB: this isn't something that just happened.  
EB: i've been feeling this way for awhile now!  
EB: at least since the end of sburb.  
EB: and now that things are all back to normal, and we can all live normal lives...  
EB: i just wanted to get this off my chest, because it's really weighing on me!  
TG: just spit it out dude  
EB: alright.  
EB: here goes.  
EB: i'm in love with you.  
TG: hahaha  
TG: man you got me there for a second  
TG: good one  
EB: dave, i'm not joking!  
EB: i'm not pulling a prank here!  
EB: i'm serious!  
TG: sure you are dude  
EB: i am!  
TG: uhuh  
TG: john i distinctly remember you telling karkat you are not a homosexual  
EB: i didn't think i then!  
EB: but i'm telling you now, that i love you!  
TG: okay john thats enough  
TG: its not funny anymore  
EB: i'm not trying to be funny, dave, that's what i'm trying to tell you!  
EB: i'm serious!  
TG: and what am i supposed to do with this information john  
TG: what do you want me to do  
EB: i...  
EB: i want you to tell me you feel the same way.  
TG: well i dont  
TG: i definitely am not a homosexual  
EB: you don't have to be an ass, dave.  
TG: well what did you want me to say  
TG: yes john i feel the same way  
TG: my strider spam blade aint jumping up in my pants at your proclamation: cant say im itchin to touch your shlong  
TG: or whisper sweet nothings or other sentimental shit like that  
TG: sorry dude but im no good with trying to sugarcoat this  
EB: dave you're such a jack ass!  
EB: forget I even said anything!  
EB: in fact, forget that we were ever friends!  
TG: john dont act like that  
TG: come on man dont be a fucking chick about this  
EB: fuck you, dave.

– ectoBiologist [EB] began ceased turntechGodhead [TG] –

– ectoBiologist [EB] blocked turntechGodhead [TG] –


	2. John: Crey

John sat at his computer, staring at the conversation that he'd just had with Dave. This is not how he'd thought it would have happened, no...he'd finally mustered up the courage to tell Dave, and this..._this_ is what happens. He fucked this up royally. Suddenly he felt an awful tingling sensation on the inside of his nose, and his vision blurred. Great, and now he was crying. He pulled his glasses off and put them down on the desk, pushing his keyboard out of the way he put his forehead down on it as well and let the sobs overcome him. It hurt, crying, he hated it. He wasn't really someone who cried very often. Or he tried not to be. Even when he saw Dad's dead body in the game, he hadn't cried. He'd gotten angry. So, so angry.

But now...he was just weak, and upset. Sure, angry as well but not at Dave. At himself, for thinking that Dave would respond any other kind of way. John had never expressed feelings like this before, and he must have read all the signs that Dave did as something that they weren't. They were just friends, and now...not even that. "No..." He said softly to himself, picking his head up he stared at the screen. He couldn't even see the words now that his glasses were off. Just make out the different colors of the text.

"No!" He shouted, and pushed everything that was on his desk off. He kicked his chair and it spun away from him, hitting the wall with a bang. He ripped the blankets off his bed and threw them as well, then the pillows. Everything in his room was suddenly across the room from where it had just been.

"John?" His father knocked on the door, though ever sense he'd caught him...well, he didn't open it. "Are you alright?"

"Go away!" John screamed, "Leave me alone I don't want any of your fucking cake!" But then he slapped his hands over his mouth. This wasn't his father's fault. He didn't need to take it out on him. He heard his father retreating from the door, and slumped down to his knees. He'd have to apologize later. He'd have to make it up to him, bake a cake with him or something. Yelling at his father had sapped the energy out of him. Standing, he grabbed his blankets and pillows and dumped them down on the bed before getting in. He crawled under the blankets and nested himself into bed, letting his tears fall silently now.


	3. Two years later

**►Two Years Later.**

"John," The spectacled young man winced at the tone of his friend's voice. "Please, it's been years you can't keep this up. It's Dave's twenty first birthday, you should come."

"He doesn't want me there." John said, his tone bitter. "He doesn't want me."

"He misses you."

John laughed, "Alright Rose, whatever you say." He couldn't believe Rose was trying to talk him into going to Dave's birthday, _again_. This has happened for the past two years that the boys hadn't spoken. _"It would be the best birthday present if you showed up," _She said, _"He really misses you, John, he just wants to be your friend again." _That was the problem, though, he _just wanted to be his friend_. How was he supposed to stand there celebrating when he still loved Dave? Still ached for him? He'd gone off on Rose when her and Dave had started dating. But she had claimed that they weren't _actually _related so there wasn't anything weird about it. It was weird! It was beyond weird! On top of that, how could Rose do that to him? Knowing how he feels about Dave? She knew before Dave did! What kind of friend is she!?

"John?"

"I'm not coming."

"_John_..." She sounded exasperated. John knew he was being difficult, but he didn't want to- no, not just that. He wasn't ready to face Dave. They hadn't spoken a word to each other in five years, and yet John still wasn't ready. "John, please. He asked me to ask you to come." She said, "He _wants _you there."

"No." And he hung up.

He hated this, he really did. But...being friends with Dave wouldn't be as easy as it sounded. He couldn't just forget what he said, couldn't forget how he felt! Still feels! Will always feel! He put his phone on the coffee table and sat down on the couch, curling his legs up and against his chest. He turned on the TV, smiling softly as he turned to his favorite movie channel to see that _Ghostbusters 2_ was on. John let himself tune the world out as he watched the movie.

**►Karkat: Be Grumpy**

He was asleep when Karkat slammed the door to their apartment open, grumpy as ever. Though it didn't wake John up. Karkat was muttering to himself as he passed John on the couch. He shook his head and snapped the TV off with a click of the remote and shook the young man's sleeping form. "Wake up!" He growled, rousing John from his nap. "We're going to Strider's fucking party."

"What!?"

"If you don't go Rose is going to have Kanaya take it out of my ass." He almost shouted, "And I am so sick of you sulking around this apartment day dreaming about that fucker!" He really was sick of it. The Cancer had tried his damnedest to satisfy John, but he never could. He'd never been able to please him the way he knew Dave would have. "Go get changed, your clothes are rumpled."

John glared at Karkat as he got up and escaped to the bedroom he shared with the other. They were...dating? He wouldn't call Karkat his boyfriend, but they slept in the same bed and he was the closest thing to a boyfriend John had ever had. The word boyfriend just seemed...stupid, really. John dressed in a clean ectoghost shirt, and a pair of black jeans. He tugged on his converse and ran a hand through his hair. He was going to see Dave tonight...

Grabbing his favorite jacket and threw it on over his t-shirt. "Let's go," He said as he stalked passed Karkat, who seemed even less happy to go to this party than John. Which is suspected seeing as he actually dislikes Dave.

**►Arrive at Rose's townhouse.**

Karkat looked down at the sticky-note in his hand, "This is the address." He said, raising an eyebrow. It was a small two-story townhouse, it was pretty cute, really but...did Dave really live here? Maybe this is where Rose lives, and she just had everyone come to her house. But...what if they live together? The thought of Rose and Dave sharing a bed made John nauseous.

"Let's get this over with." John said and knocked on the door. It was Dave himself that answered, which just made this even worse. They stood there staring at each other for what seemed like hours, but in reality it was only about a minute.

"You...you came." Dave said, his expression unreadable behind his glasses. "I didn't think you would come."

"Well we're fucking here," Karkat snapped, shoving his way in passed Dave, "Now let us in before I freeze my bulge off."

Dave and John ignored Karkat and continued staring at each other, "I wasn't going to." John finally said, "But Kar made me." Dave's face was still unreadable, which annoyed John. He had always been an open book to Dave when it came to reading his facial expressions, where as Dave was always so reserved and cut off from him. It was because of those stupid shades!

Dave stepped aside and let John in. He took his coat, hung it up, and let him into the party. Everyone was there. Jade, Rose, all twelve of the now-human trolls, Bro and Cal. There was a pile of presents on the table that John stared at sheepishly. He hadn't gotten Dave anything. Though no one seemed to notice. He was greeted gleefully, seeing as he hadn't really seen much of anyone in awhile. Besides going to class, and to work he didn't get out much. He didn't want to. He was just...depressed.

John joined Bro in the kitchen. He wore an apron with cupcakes and frill. This actually brought a smile to John's lips, and he leaned against the counter next to the stove where Bro was cooking. "What's for dinner?" He asked. Bro looked at him through his Anime shades, examining him for a minute before he answered.

"Tacos." Bro had always been a man of few words, and John had appreciated that, and still does. He stood in silence with Bro while he cooked, watching the others mingle and socialize through the kitchen archway. "He misses you."

Now he doesn't appreciate Bro very much. "Yeah, right. Look how fine he is in there without me. I let Karkat drag me to this stupid party, and he's barely said ten words to me." Bro shook his head as he added spices to the ground beef. He sprinkled in some diced onions, and then added some corn.

"Never had tacos with corn in it before."

"Well then you're in for the best tacos of your life, ain't that right, Cal?" Bro looked up, and on the top of the fridge sat Cal. Man was his puppet creepy. He nodded in agreement as if Cal had said something, and turned back to John. "You know how Dave is, John." He said, "He won't tell you he missed you, and he's too...well, shy, to try and talk to you now. If you want this to work you need to go and talk to him."

"What if I don't want to make it work?"

"Then you wouldn't be here."

John grits his teeth and pushes away from the counter. Joining the others, he took a Coca-Cola form the table and cracked it open, taking a sip. Dave stood talking to Terezi, who was grinning as wide as her mouth would let her and was standing a little too close to him. John slowly makes his way over and clears his throat, "Uh...hey."

"Oh hey John!" Terezi said, groping the air in his direction. Her hand landed on him and she pulled him into a very tight, bear hug. "Haven't seen you in awhile! Ahahaha!" She burst out laughing at her own personal joke, and John couldn't help but smile at her.

"Yeah, been awhile since you've been around to the apartment."

"Been busy with some new friends I made at the college I go to, it's just for people like me!"

"Blind people?"

"Yep!"

"That sounds really great, Terezi. Are you enjoying it there?"

"Oh yeah, I'm learning all sorts of great human stuff!" She licked her lips before looking up as Nepeta called her name from across the room, "Well, I'm needed!" She said and left John and Dave staring after her.

**►John: Be awkward.**

"So..." John said, rubbing the back of his neck, "Great party."

Dave snorted, "Oh yeah it'll go down in the record books." He agreed.

They were avoiding looking at each other, but at the same second they both looked at each other. John met Dave's eyes through the sunglasses and they both glanced away, embarrassed. "John..."

"Yeah?"

"I..." Dave stepped closer, lifting his hand up, but a burst of laughter from Vriska across the room made him drop it. "Thanks for coming."

"Oh." John said, taking a step back, "Yeah, I guess."

"John-"

"Tacos!" Bro announced and swept into the room with a tray full of food. It smelled, and looked amazing. John turned away from Dave, heading over to the group but Dave grabbed his wrist. Pulling him into the hallway, where they were alone.

"John, I don't want this."

"Don't want what, Dave?" John asked. "Me? Yeah, I get that."

Hurt registered on Dave's face. Good! He deserved it! He broke John's heart! "No, John." Dave said, grabbing him by the shoulders, "I want you, but not like that. Please, John you're my best friend." Dave pulled off his glasses and looked John straight in the eyes, searching them. "Please, John." He practically begged, "I miss you."

John pushed Dave away, "No!" He shouted, silence falling in the adjacent room now, "No, no, no! You broke my heart Dave! You _laughed_ at me!" Tears welled up in John's eyes. "I knew coming here was a stupid, foolish idea. Don't you understand?" He asked, "Being your friend isn't enough for me anymore! Things will never go back to the way they were before I told you, no matter how much I want them to! I wish I had never told you!" He turned away from Dave, running through the house. He threw open the front door, forgetting his jacket as he ran out into the cold, and the snow.

**==►Dave: Have your birthday ruined.**

Dave walked back into the other room, everyone was staring at him. He'd put his shades back on already. He grabbed a taco and shoved it in his mouth as Rose opened her mouth to question him. He grabbed three more, put them on a plate with a handful of Doritos, a beer, and disappeared upstairs.

**==►Karkat: Go after John.**

Karkat put down the plate he'd been filling for John and turned away from the table, cursing when he saw John's jacket. He grabbed it and ran out into the snow. He could barely follow John's footprints, and eventually they disappeared under the falling snow.

"John!" Karkat yelled. He was in an unfamiliar part of town, and he had no idea where John had run off to. "John!" He ran up and down street after street, yelling and searching for him for hours. Finally, having not found him, he returned to their apartment.

John sat on the welcome mat. Shivering, wet, and pale. "John..." Karkat said, his tone was soft, but grumpy. He unlocked the front door and helped John up, half-carrying him into the bedroom where he stripped him and re-dressed him in warm pajamas. He locked the front door back up and then made John some hot chocolate. He brought it to the spectacled teen and undressed himself. He threw on some pajamas, and got under the blankets with him.

John sat silently drinking his hot chocolate and shivering in Karkat's arms. Tears silently spilled down his face, and once he finished his drink he let Karkat take it away from him and tuck him into bed. They laid close together, Karkat sharing his warmth with John as he weeped.


	4. John: Wake Up

==►John: Wake Up

As he regained consciousness John was aware of one thing. Karkat hadn't left his side all night. A soft smile lifted his lips and he opened his eyes. They were covered in eye crusties, and he still wore his glasses. He took them off and put them on the nightstand, rubbing the crusties out of his eyes. Afterward he snuggled closer to Karkat, stirring the other from his sleep.

"What..." Karkat groaned, "Five more minutes."

"It's just me, Kar." John said softly, and suddenly arms were reaching out, wrapping around him and drawing him in. Since the game had ended and their lives had all been reset on Earth, Karkat had bulked up a little. He wasn't the scrawny troll that John had met all those years ago, no now he was a tall, lean, muscular human. Who loved John. That thought made John wince a little, because he knew he would never be able to love Karkat the way Karkat loved him. John knew he'd never have "red" feelings for the Alternian. He knew that Karkat understood that as well, but for the time being neither of them said anything about it. For now they lay in silence, Karkat holding John strongly in his arms as he quietly slipped back into dreamland.

Fifteen or so minutes of laying quietly like this was enough for John, and he gently detached himself from Karkat and put his glasses back on. Slipping out of their bedroom quietly, he went to the kitchen and made himself a bowl of cereal. As he sat down at the table to eat it, the phone rang. Sighing, he stood up and grabbed it, narrowing his eyes at the number. He answered it after a few rings, making his voice sound as if he'd been roused from sleep. "Hello?"

"John? I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No." He said, but he put an edge to the answer to make them think he was lying. "What do you want?"

"What happened last night?"

"Jade, I don't want to talk about it." After SBURB, Jade had come over from her isolated island and moved in with John and his Dad. She was like a sister to John, and normally he told her everything. But...he couldn't talk about this, he couldn't talk about Dave right now. "I'm too tired, I think I've come down with something from being out in the cold all night last night. Please, just leave me alone." He said and hung up. John knew Jade would feel really awful about this, because she can get her feelings hurt so easily. He didn't want to hurt her but...he didn't want to deal with her right now either, or anything for that matter. He was just so...tired.

John ate his breakfast, and afterward took his temperature to reveal he did have a slight fever, 100.3, which wasn't much - but he went and grabbed one of the extra comforters from the closet and curled up on the couch - anyway.

==►Karkat: Wake up.

Karkat rolled, literally rolled, out of bed and hit the floor. "Fuck," He growled and ran a hand through his hair. He rubbed the top of his head in a circle, reminding himself that he doesn't have horns anymore, and stood. He did that almost every morning...it was still a shock to him that he was human now. Karkat didn't have any human memories, like maybe he'd been in this universe since his birth, and that his memories of his other life were just...just that, memories. Something that had never happened.

But they had. He wasn't born on this planet, he was put here when SGRUB reset itself. He wasn't human, not really. He would always be a Troll, and Alternia would always be his home. Even though living on Earth is considerably easier than on Alternia...it's just so different, too different. He would never get used to it. Sometimes, he just wanted to go home...even if that meant leaving John.

Hearing coughing, and sneezing coming from the living room he decided that this morning was not a morning he wished he'd woken up covered in sopor slime. Karkat had feared that John would catch a cold after last night's stunt. The Cancer pulled himself out of bed and pulled on some clothes, before heading into the living room to assess the damage.

==►John: Sneeze.

"Ugh," John wiped his nose on a tissue and pulled the blanket back over his head, turning the TV volume up a little because it was getting hard to hear passed the thick comforter and the clogging in his sinuses. He shivered, coughing a little as he pulled the blankets closer. Karkat was silently standing behind him, watching him shiver and shake under his blanket.

"You're sick." Karkat said, raising an eyebrow as he circled the couch. "You spent too much time out in the cold last night when you ran off. That was a really-"

"Stupid thing to do," John finished for him, "You shouldn't have done that, John," He continued, mocking Karkat's voice, "It was very irresponsible, you could have gotten hurt, or lost, or worse!" He turned to Karkat, his entire face was flushed red and his eyes were a little sunken under his glasses. His shivers were getting worse, and his teeth soon began to chatter. Karkat couldn't stand there and stay mad at him as pathetic as he looked.

"What's your temperature?"

"I haven't checked it in awhile."

Karkat sighed, going into the kitchen and getting the thermometer from the drawer. He returned to the living room and sat down next to John, shaking the small device before holding it up for John to put it in his mouth. He did, and after a minute or so it beeped. "102.4." Karkat sighed heavily, shaking his head as he put the thermometer back in it's case and set it down on the coffee table. "What was it when you checked it the first time?"

"A hundred point three," John said, looking guilty under his blanket.

Karkat sighed, again, and pulled John onto his lap and wrapped the blanket tight, tight around him. "If it gets worse, or doesn't go down in an hour I'm going to take you to the Doctor to get some medicine, okay?" John just numbly nodded and hunkered down against Karkat, shivering, teeth chattering; miserable.

==► Bro: Wash Dishes.

Bro stood in the kitchen, his hands covered in big, pink latex gloves. Dave was silently leaning against the counter next to him. Neither of them were speaking, because the topic they were both going to bring up was touchy: **John. **Bro plunged his hands into the warm, soapy water wielding a sponge to take on the grease that had caked on to his skillet overnight.

"So..." Dave said, looking up at Bro from behind his glasses, "Those tacos were great last night. Thanks for making them."

"No prob, lil' bro."

Silence fell over them again and it was...just plain awkward. Things had never really been awkward before between the two of them, not until John had confessed his feelings and suddenly Dave was confused, Bro was mad at him for being such a dick to his best bro, and John wasn't speaking to him. Last night hadn't made the situation any better. Bro had ended the party early and marched upstairs and lectured Dave about even inviting John in the first place. Though, Dave hadn't invited him; Rose and Kanaya had, though Bro didn't believe him when he'd said he'd had nothing to do with it.

"Last night..."

"Yes?"

Dave sighed, pushing his glasses up and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I don't know what to do, Bro." He said, "Please, help me..." Dave stared at his older brother, his eyes guilty, pleading, desperate...

"Help you do what, Dave?"

"Get John back! He's my best friend, and he refuses to talk to me!"

"I wonder why."

"That's _not_ fair."

"Life isn't fair, I thought I taught you that. I thought you'd _realized _that for yourself." Bro remembered SBURB too. Remembered all of it up until the point where he died. Then suddenly he woke up, back on the futon, the same day...as if nothing had happened. But it had, he knew it had, he'd double-checked, and trippled-checked with Dad Egbert, and Mom Lalonde.

Dave put his glasses back on and stared down at the floor. Silence fell over them again, though this time it was angry silence. After ten or so minutes of that, Dave spoke up again; "Bro...what do I do?"

"Whatever it takes."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, that if you want John back you're going to have to mean it. You're going to have to prove it, _to him_."

"But _how_?"

"You're going to have to fall in love with him. Then, you're going to have to love him forever. If you don't...you will lose him forever."

"But I have Rose!" Dave protested, "And I'm _not gay_!"

Bro snorted, shaking his head. He lifted his glasses and stared straight at Dave, his eyes penetrating. "You may think you have everyone fooled with that lie, Dave, but I know you better than you know yourself. I don't even think it would be that hard for you to fall in love with Egbert, because honestly...I think you're already there."

"Why do you say that?"

Bro lowered his glasses back onto his nose and pulled off his gloves; dishes done. He leaned against the sink next to Dave and crossed his arms over his chest, "I think you've always loved him,"

"No-"

"_As a bro_," Bro gave Dave the do-not-interrupt-me-look from under his glasses, though Dave had seen it enough to know without even seeing his eyes, "But when John confessed to you it kicked open a door. That forbidden door you had kept locked tight up, too afraid to even peep into it." Bro let his words settle before he continued, "Then, after he confessed you panicked and got scared; and do what you always do when you get scared, make an ass out of yourself. You don't know how to let someone down easy. You have to drop them _on their face_." Again, Bro paused, and when Dave didn't say anything he continued. "When he blocked you, it was like a punch in the gut. It was like someone took all the air out of the room, and left you suffocating.

Then when he didn't start talking to you again, your fear and panic grew. You believed he'd never, ever speak to you again. So you got with Rose to bury your feelings. But your feelings never, ever went away. You keep trying to convince yourself though, keep trying to lie to yourself and tell yourself that your feelings are just bro feelings. But they're not. You _love_ John, you miss him, and it makes your blood boil knowing he shares a bed with Karkat." At that, Dave's jaw tightened, and his knuckles turned white. "When you saw him last night it was like someone let the air back into the room. It was like you could take a small, shuttering breath. But then you screwed it up, and he ran out.

So you know what you're going to do now, lil' bro?" Dave looked up, "I'm going to make a pot of chicken noodle soup, you're going to go buy a box of saltine crackers and a six pack of Ginger Ale, and you're going to take all of that to John's apartment, because after running out like that last night without his coat? He probably has a horrible fever. You might want to get Rose's cold kit too, you know how well that works."

Dave stood their silently for a second, trying to think back to the last time his brother had ever said this much to him before. This was more than Bro normally spoke in an entire month. He was looking forward to his brother being completely silent for the rest of the month; having used up all his energy on his very long speech, and his lecture last night. But he knew his brother wasn't lying, so he would go along with the plan; he would get John back no matter what it cost him.


	5. John: Be Miserably Sick

==►John: Be Miserably Sick.

It had been almost an hour, and John's temperature had gone up .2. Karkat was pacing, and getting ready to call the Doctor's office when someone knocked on the door. Karkat's head snapped up, as if suddenly brought back to Earth and marched over to the door. He opened it, and went rigid. "_What are you doing here_?" He whisper-hissed.

"I thought John might have gotten ill after last night, so I made him some soup."

"_He doesn't want to see you._"

"Please, give me a chance."

"Karkat?" John shouted from the couch, "Karkat who is it?"

==►Dave: Take Advantage of Distracted Karkat.

While Karkat turned around, Dave slipped through the door and headed into the apartment. Karkat was scrambling after him, but Dave flash-stepped into the other room; a move he'd learned over the years from watching his bro.

"John," The black haired teen looked up from his blanket-igloo on the couch and stared, puffy-eyed at Dave.

"What are _you_ doing here?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

That tugged on Dave's heart strings; seeing John this sick. It was all his fault. He _had_ to make it right. He had to make him better! "I made you...I made you some soup."

"Bro made me soup, you're just bringing it to me."

Dave's eyes widened, of course John would know that. This wasn't the first time Dave had brought John something of Bro's creation and claimed it to be his. But as he stared at John, unsure what to do, and awkward something miraculous happened. John's eyes softened, and he scooted over on the couch, to make room for Dave. The albino didn't hesitate as he set the picnic basket down on the coffee table, and plopped down next to John.

"So what's your temp?"

"102.6."

Dave winced, feeling guilty. He sat forward, opening the basket and pulling out the big pot of soup, then the saltines, and then the Ginger Ale. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught John smiling a little. His heart squeezed, and he stood. Going to John's kitchen he grabbed a cup, a bowl, a small plate, and a spoon. He returned and set up the coffee table in front of John, before dishing out the food. Dave blew on the soup, before sitting back on the couch with it and handing it off to John.

"Wow, this smells so good..."

"I'll tell Bro you approve."

"Haven't tasted it yet."

That brought a snort from the blonde's lips and he shook his head, watching John as he took a sip from the spoon and nodded in approval before putting the whole spoon in his mouth.

John stared down at the bowl for a moment, before looking up at Dave. His eyes searching, questioning, "Why?" He asked after a beat of silence, "Why did you come here? Why did you bring this for me?" After last night, John was sure that Dave wanted nothing to do with him. In fact, that had been his intention. The pain of seeing Dave was just too much for him.

Save stared at John for a long moment, before awkwardly clearing his throat. "Because," He said, "I miss you. I've missed you so much. I've missed you since the second you blocked me! I was a dick to you, John. I mean like Grade-A stuff; like Ace Dick." Mentioning Problem Sleuth earned a smile from John, who took another spoonful of soup. Maybe things could turn around for them? Maybe he was wrong, and they could be friends? It would be hard...but he knew that with Karkat's help...maybe this could work.

==►Karkat: Be Angry.

What the fuck is Dave even doing here!? Did he not hear John last night? Did he just blatantly disregarded everything John said? Karkat wouldn't put it past him, that fuckhead always had his own agenda no matter who he hurt in the process! Didn't he realize that John wasn't over him? Is he just _playing_ with John now? Bringing what...soup? Crackers? The human soft beverage Ginger Ale? How dare he show his face here! How selfish could you get? Karkat couldn't fathom the pain John was probably in right now. He needed to put an end to this. Walking into the living room to politely ask Dave to _get the fuck out and never come back_ he noticed that John was...smiling? What the fuck was going on here!?

Karkat loudly cleared his throat, causing Dave and John to snap to attention. The smile on John's lips faded, and Dave's face hardened. Is...is that what Karkat's presence did? Did he make John unhappy? He knew...when he and John had first started seeing each other that he would never be able to make John as happy as Dave did, but...but did he truly make him unhappy? The way his smile had vanished so quickly, it was like a knife right in the heart. But he had to know, "What's going on here?" He demanded.

"What does it look like?" Dave asked, his eyebrows raising under his glasses.

Karkat growled, looking at John for something, anything to get this Bastard out of their, _their_ home! But when their eyes met, John's gaze flickered away. Was...this it? Were they finally making up? Was John really letting Dave back in to his life? How could he do that? How could he let that arrogant ass back in!? After what he'd done? After the way he'd laughed at John when he had opened his heart up to him? Karkat was shaking with rage; practically vibrating with it. What the hell was going on? How could John do this...not just himself, but to Karkat? To them as a couple?

Were they a couple? Karkat opened his mouth, as if he were about to ask but shut it hastily. He turned on his heel and without giving them one last look stomped to door, grabbing his keys and his jacket on his way out, slamming the door behind himself.

==►Dave: Scoff.

"What a baby," He said, turning back to John. Though John didn't laugh, and agree. His face was clouded, and his eyes were downcast – staring into the soup. "John?"

"I upset him." John said softly, "He really hates you for what you did." John looked up at Dave, his eyes watering. "I bet he feels as if I've betrayed him; betrayed myself."

Dave narrowed his eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"

John didn't reply. He put the bowl of soup on the coffee table in front of him and replaced the lid, "Dave...I think it's time that you left."

Dave's eyes widened now, "John, no, John don't say that. Come on don't let how Karkat acted...please, John I'm here. I'm here and I don't want to leave. I don't ever want to leave." Dave grabbing John by the arms and shook him slightly, "I don't ever want to be apart from you again, John! Please I can't take it!"

John shook his head rapidly, "No, Dave, stop...stop saying these things to me!" He pulled away, hugging himself, "You're not allowed to say those things to me, Dave – you're not, you're not!" John flinched away as Dave tried to grab for him again, and this time Dave got the idea.

The blonde stood, shaking his head. He grabbed his jacket off the back of the couch, "Enjoy your soup." He said, and left the apartment. Though he didn't slam the door as Karkat had.

==►Karkat: Complain to your moirail.

"-he was just sitting there! Eating spoonfuls of Dave's soup as if they were best fucking friends!" Karkat yelled, throwing his arms up. After he had left the apartment he had stood on the doormat a little confused, not really knowing where, or who to go to. Gamzee had been the first person who had popped in his head. Though they were human now, it didn't change the fact that Gamzee was his moirail, they would _always _be moirails. No matter what.

"Whoa, bro, just calm your tits and think this motherfucker out," Gamzee awkwardly patted Karkat's shoulder in an attempt to stop his wild arm flailing. His brows furrowed in concern at Karkat's flustered face. "Why is that all up and problem-tastic to your existence, friend?"

"You were fucking there last night," Karkat replied, "Right? You saw them fighting, you saw how John ran out!"

"Yeah, brother."

"Well he got sick, and then Dave shows up all hey-here's-some-fucking-soup and they're all best friends again!" Karkat sat down on the couch next to his friend, putting his head in his hands, "I just don't fucking know what's going on here, Gamzee." He said, "I thought they were over. I thought John was _mine_."

"So that's what this is all up and about." Gamzee said, leaning back against the couch. He patted Karkat's back, smiling at him, "Of course he's yours, bro. I think you're makin' something out of this that just isn't motherfuckin' there," Gamzee put a pie in the oven, before taking off his apron and sitting down across the island from Karkat. These days they had to make due without soper slime. There was still the frightening chance that Gamzee would go off, but with a steady supply of marijuanna they kept him in check. "It's been what, two motherfuckin' years now? Maybe it's time for John to all up and forgive him, they're like us my brother, do you think John would be mad if you had feelings for me?"

"But I don't."

"That isn't the motherfucking point, brother. What I'm trying to get across to you is that you and John are solid. Stop worrying, motherfucker and go all up and apologize for being an asshat. Stop actin' like a motherfuckin' wriggler." Karkat opened his mouth, but Gamzee shook his head and he closed it again. They both knew he was right. It didn't matter that he was high, or that his thinkpan was probably the consistency of overcooked oatmeal.

After a few moments of silence, the Cancer sighed, "You're right." He admitted, "I should go back and fucking apologize."

"Miracles man."


End file.
